Well I never......

[Don Hines]

My current rehab is my first real experience using contractors. My wife chose one that I didn't like right away. He is too pretty and flashy. But, never the less; I have to sleep with her. So, we hired him for roof and siding and my choice to do the inside. We got quotes from both for the exterior work and pretty boy was considerably more expensive. I could spend all day telling you why my choice would have been better. But, I don't gloat and brag when I know I have lost money.
I wanted to post about what happened last Sunday evening. Pretty boy's crew has taken a solid month on a two week job. During this month I brought my choice in to start the inside. They worked circles around the first crew and cleaned up after themselves every day. Just blew them out of the water on performance. So, Pretty Boy brings in some hill billy subs to help finish the exterior job. They worked for about a week then disapperared leaving a sheet metal break and several tools on the grounds. I figured they were in jail by the way they left. After a couple of weeks, one comes back at dusk on a Sunday evening to retreive his tools. The only ones still around are the ones I took inside out of the rain a week or more after they left them. He kept saying that since I moved his stuff inside, I must know where his missing break and ladder were. We got belly to belly. But, before we came to blows, his mother called him down. Then he told me the tools were his grandfather's and "he will do what he has to". I told him that him and Paw Pa need to come back with the sherrif or They will meet my buddies Smith and Wesson. Pretty Boy's other crew has finished their part of the job. I have a punch list for the hill billy's work. He has not called, emailed, or sent word that he needs the second payment of the contract.
So, much for a flashy contractor.
Don

[James Vermillion]

That is quite a story Don, and I am sorry you had to experience that. Contractors are the same as people from any profession, there are great ones, and there are absolutely worthless crooks. It sounds like you did do some basic interviewing of the contractors but you may have to take things a step further next time to ensure something like this does not happen again. Did you get references and talk to previous customers? Did you ask to see examples of work they have done? It is not like people cannot find ways around these things (ie giving their friends as references) but the more work you make them go through the more likely they are to decide to find someone else to rip off.

With contractors you just have to keep going until you find good ones and do your best to hang on to them. Good luck Don!